ELYRIA, Ohio (WJW) – For the past 4 years, the Elyria community could count on the Expresso Bakery to provide whatever morning fuel is needed to get thru the day. 

Expresso owner, Keith Black, says that doesn’t happen without a lot of hard work and sacrifice. 

“It’s everything, it’s like a child you have to have 100 percent attention on it all the time,” shared Black. 

But this small business, which opened right before the pandemic, has experienced yet another difficult setback.

On Sunday morning, their bakery was open for business and busy as usual.

However, everything changed dramatically in a matter of seconds.

“The car hit, and my wife thought an oven blew up. But we weren’t baking at that time. There was smoke and my wife smelled gas,” explained Black. 

Elyria fire officials later confirmed that they were called to 4th Street at around 9 a.m. for reports of a car crashing into Expresso Bakery, with people trapped inside. 

When they arrived, a customer had already freed a worker who was pinned behind a counter. 

The driver was rescued by first responders and taken to the hospital. 

“I’m shocked. That’s the one good thing to come out of this, no one was killed,” said Black. 

The employee trapped behind the counter was injured and taken in for treatment. 

Black says that his wife was just steps away from the car when it crashed into the kitchen. 

He can’t imagine what life would look like had anyone been in the wrong spot, at the wrong time, especially the love of his life. 

“It’s bad, you know? If she was three feet back, she’d be dead. The employee broke her ankle, it’s bad stuff,” shared Black. 

Black says it could be months before the store is back to normal and estimates the cost of repair will be around $300,000. 

It’s adversity he’s ready to overcome. 

“I guess as Arnold would say, ‘I’ll be back.’ I’m hoping to be back. That’s my goal,” said Black. 

If you want to help with the repairs, click here for a fundraising opportunity.